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From a few thousands scattered across the globe but mainly in North America and the United Kingdom, the number of Kenyans in the diaspora has exponentially grown in the last two decades to today’s three million, about nine per cent of the country’s population.

But the importance of this community is not only in the numbers but they have come to wield so much economic power that their remittances have hit the Sh160 billion mark annually, according to a World Bank report: Future of Africa Remittances Program released in October last year, earning them the distinction of being ranked the country’s fourth highest foreign exchange earner after tea, horticulture and tourism.

Kenyans living abroad mainly send money home to help their families and for investment in various sectors, including real estate.

In July alone, remittances to Kenya jumped by 44 per cent from the same month a year ago to $72.8 million (about Sh6.9 billion). Read more here.